Winds of Change: NFC North Draft Grades
The dust has settled for the 2023 NFL Draft and while the rookies haven’t even signed their contracts yet, opinions are already in on teams draft classes.
The following grades will be handed out based on not just the draft selection but also trades made before or during the draft.
Chicago Bears
Draft Grade: A-
The Bears had one of my favorite draft classes this year, adding key contributors on every day and putting them in position to improve dramatically in an NFC North in flux. First round pick Darnell Wright was a little bit of a surprise to me, just because I thought the weight concerns would pull him down but he’s an incredibly powerful lineman that wouldn’t have made it another few picks if the Bears didn’t pull the trigger.
The second round was where the Bears nailed this draft. Gervon Dexter has an athletic ceiling that could put him in the All-Pro conversation if the coaching staff can get him up to speed and fix some of his flaws as a rusher. Tyrique Stevenson out of Miami should immediately start on the outside opposite Jaylon Johnson allowing Kyler Gordon to remain in the slot.
The rest of the draft included multiple day one contributors on both sides of the ball. Roschon Johnson won’t start but he should be involved in the running back committee with D’Onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert. Tyler Scott is quickly the fifth best receiver on this team at the worst behind DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, and Equanimeous St. Brown.
Noah Sewell and Terell Smith should find themselves rotating in early on and challenging for playing time.
As for the rest of the division...